“With each spring-loaded step forward that Rory McIlroy takes, more belief is instilled right through the talent pool of golf in Ireland. His march to destiny will continue to inspire people to play the game and to strive for success.”

Proud words indeed from Patrick Finn, who runs the Golfing Union of Ireland from its center of excellence at Carton House, a mere 30-minute drive from the heart of Dublin.

McIlroy’s third major title brings the total now to eight major wins since 2007 by golfers groomed under the Golfing Union of Ireland’s elite squad system. FULL POST

This was no classic Masters, but it was certainly validation for Gerry Watson, the 35-year-old golf phenom from Baghdad, Florida.

Called Bubba since he was a baby in the hospital, he backed up his playoff win of two years ago by dominating the 78th staging of the Masters, here at Augusta National.

Judging by his performance, which was both strategic and entertaining, he has the tools to win several more Green Jackets and there won't really be a way to Bubba-proof the course.

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Patrick Reed’s victory at the WGC Cadillac Championship was validation for sure. Validation in his golfing talent, proof of his own inner-belief mechanism and justification of the long and endless amount of work required to succeed at the highest levels of the game.

The 23-year-old delivered the goods under an enormous spotlight in Florida on Sunday and he wasn’t shy about projecting his ambitions in public.

The Texan's post-round comments about seeing himself as a world top-five player can be misconstrued as arrogance, but they are also an indication of the strength in depth that is emerging among the Tiger generation and their bulletproof certainty about where they see themselves going in the game. FULL POST

Form can fluctuate, but class is ever present. It’s a saying that comes straight from the commentator's book of clichés, but is intriguing nonetheless, especially when examining the potential fortunes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in 2014.

Woods is the undeniable world No.1, with five victories last year on his home circuit. McIlroy, on the other hand, endured his most frustrating season after some incredible hype 12 months ago, only to rescue his year with a splendid victory at the Australian Open in December.

The form right now would suggest that Northern Ireland’s young star is on the verge of reclaiming his rightful position at the top of the game, whilst Woods, who arrived here in Dubai on Monday night, could not have been pleased with his disappointing performance on the PGA Tour at the weekend, where he missed the 54-hole cut. FULL POST